Controversial plans to extend Southampton’s airport runway have been approved after a fraught 19-hour virtual debate.
Councillors at Eastleigh Borough Council voted 22 in favour and 13 against with one abstention for the plans to extend the runway by 164m to allow longer-haul flights.
Source: Shutterstock
Eastleigh Borough Council reached the decision at 2.15am on Saturday morning
The proposals had been rejected last month by the council’s local area committee despite planning officers earlier recommending the expansion for approval.
The final decision was reached at 2.15am on Saturday on the third day of a debate watched by hundreds of people online which began at 2pm on Thursday, continued until 1am on Friday and resumed later that day at 6pm.